Apparatus for making plaster-board.



1.&1..`SCHUMACHER. APPARTUS FOR MAIUNGv PLASTER BUARD. APPLICATION FtLED NUV.2. I9l6.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 other plaster hoard apparatus maybestacked,' each length in superficial contact with othery lengths, a nd theinvention is therefore? JOHN scHUMAcHEa `am) JOSEPH E.. SCHUMAGHER. estos lAndenne, CALIFORNIA.

,y Prepares ORMAKING PLAsfrEs-Bonnn.

Vspeciticeliioxi et Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, 9, 1918.

Kpplieation'lcd November? 2; 1916. Serial No. 129,166.

To all 1t-hom, t may concern; f

Bc it. known that weglJonN Sox-mammina' and Jossri-I E. SCnUM/icmck, both cltlzens of the United States, rcsidingat Los Angeles in the county.of Los Angeles and-Stuteo California, have` jointly.'q invented nei'v', land useful Improvements m Apparatus" for'.

Making Plaster-Board, O f'ivhic ing isa specification.

tliefollonfl invention relates n'mkngplastcr board and the hke,andmore part1cularly to apparatus Yfor carrying on4 g, r ,erably so, arranged that the trays are inoved under the discharge end of the conveyor as -they receive.; laster 4hoard units and are certain stops in the manufactnreof plaster,

board, or for facilitating the handling of the plaster board as it is jlicing' Qmanufactnred, 3 1 and thc invention has forvits objet'tto pror vide an improved apparatus whereby'plaster hoard lengths as delivered by.a'conveyor',017v

I adept.;a ed fol-carrying on'ccrtain 'steps of thefp n of makin plaster board disclosedfin Paterit'o the .United States March 21, 1916, No. 1,176,322 01,'- niaking plaster board, and Letters 1916, No. 1,176,860, for

plaster board and thelik In accordance with the mvent1on, a` plurality Vof carriers fortraysad'apted to ceive plaster board lengths or units are pro; vided,s\1ch carriers being somou-nted-,for

movenicnt' in a coiitmuous pathA thatthcy may fbg successively resented to 'the zone of discharge of such p asterboard units from t the present mventlon' l1t 1s possible to cause other apparatus, suchY as a conveyor helmet-1d News', eea-sfr une df to s moved in the'( iroctonof laster boarddis- 'charge sothat each sucee in unit may antomatlcally bey applied to .tli stackQ-an'd eve'nly' overlie a' previously aptplied '-unit,.each. carr er or car and the tray carried therebyV ,being successively moved ,a\\\'ay,;f12om the pointl of 'discharge and 'returnedth'ereto-jn its'proper sequence toreceivea furtherfplasterfboard unit and closely `follow en interveiiin'g-cqrg After a car or a plurality of cars'or atray or trays thereon have beenlo'aded witl1 st.a cked`plastcr board units to thedesilfed heig'ht, such loaded tray or traysinayhe'removed and replaced by another tray. or other traysto be loaded. In

the manufacture oiplaster nboard' heretofore,

it has been 'necessaryjn ithfe'stacking process,

in iorder-to.cause the sheets or units of lascontect',^`to pla the last -top of'thefsta'c A r 'over the'stacli',` as froiii end to end thereof,

ter'boardfto overlije eachother in super cial fas by.

end such dragg'ignor sliding of the sheets,

should they paersuijfiics' thereof be moist,

e, top -of the i'pplied sheet on the ragging the same' tresultsin teermg,l cracking and rollin 'of tearing .or roll' plaster boerd; lle'etfor'l unit; however, this up of the pa er surface does not .occur with thev plaster card units formed 'with papier treated to retard permeation by moisture, as disclosed in our above" mentioned llietters Patent; however,

the trays are presented to the plasterboard units to vreceive the` saine vin such', manner that a unit of a give'nflength'l'will exactly overlie the bed of the tray."presc|1ted, one

previously appliedy unitt'thereon; and v1nr the movement of such carriers-with vthe trays carried thereby, the ratef of movement carriers, upon .each of which mounted e tray adapted to be loaded with' plaster board units in stacked relation and leach in superficial contact with another, or others,.may

be propelled through a pre-determined c1r- Vor path and each in turn as presented cuit receiveal plaster board' unit. from the con- "Flyer 0l th@ like, and 'theapparatus is prefwith apparatus organized in accordance with successively applied s eets or units of plaster board to overlie each another, even if such sheets are forxned'with p'aper surfaces other than'the paper treated to reta-rd permeation by moisture,` that is even if the paper sheets ormi'ngthe surfaces of the ester board are molst this is due to the act that as a tray is advanced under the point of dis charge ofthe conveyor the leadin edge or end of a plaster board unit being ged or delivered byv the conveyor will be applied to the leading' edge of .a previously applied unit or, in the case of the first unit, a plied at the leading edge of the tra and, gue to the uniform rate of motion o the conveyor andthe tray, for thetray is advanced with the leading ed e of the plaster board a plied thereto and t e following portions'tliereo .thereon. 'moved away from the will be successively fed to the' tray advance thereof, so as to cause eac sii'ely applied portion of the plaster board to be smoothly and evenly ap lied to the tray and when the last or fol owing edge or end of the plaster board unit is reached it will then be a proximately in re istration with the last e ge or endlV of the ot er sheets or units of the stack. After a unit has been so ap lied to the tray another tray will present itself at the leading edge of another plaster hoard unit leaving the plaster board discharge point and receiving the leading edge of the next plaster board unit fed by the conveyer, such feeding process being practically continuous, and such next sheet will be, in the manner just described, applied to its receiving tray, or the stack of units As the rst mentioned tray 'is plaster board receiving zone, it is, in the f rm pf the invention shown in the drawin s, lowered out of the path of the tray an carrier then in unit receiving position, and is returned beneath the same to be later againV movedLOpast the point of plaster board discharge receive another unit. Three such carriers with trays thereon are illustrated, so that while one tray is receiving a plaster board unit or sheet, another tray will be taking up its p0- sition behind such receiving tray to be in readiness to receive the next sheet, while the third tray having just received a sheet. of

laster board is bein moved out of the way ot the first tray an is being returned to plaster board unit receiving position to irnmediately take up its position after the tray just ahead of the same has received its plaster hoard unit. The carriers for the trays may run on a level track through the plaster board receiving zone, and end portions or sections of such track may be arranged, one on an elevator and the other on a lowering device to permit the lowerin and raising ot the sections, the section orward of the plaster board receiving car being lowered to transfer the car to a track located in a lower plane whereupon such car is returned to a point beneath the point of discharge of the conveyer, the section or track at the other end and beneath such conveyer being in lowered position to receive such car at `the time of arrival at such point and t0 transfer the same on an elevator on which said track section is mounted to the plane ot' thc upper track, thc rails being brought into registration so that such trans erred car may be in readiness to follow the then plas- 1er board receiving car. Propelling means are provided for tie plaster board receiving car which wilLhave automaticalll connected therewith the car returned by t e elevator to the plaster board receiving plane and such receiving car will be automaticall unconplcd from the following car after it has rein the y h succes" ceived its plaster board unit and is automatically lowered on its lowering device. The lowering device and the elevator are shown as joined or mounted upon a common support` and in such a manner that when the lowering device is movin downwardly the elevator is moving upwar ly, and vice versa. Propelling means for the cars being transferred from the lowering device to the elevator in the plane of the .lower track are provided. Power may be applied to the ele vating and lowering devices to cause the actuation of the same, and the application of such power may be controlled automatically b car or carrier movement: such power device is shown as ay pair of hydraulic cylinders adapted to actuat'e the connected lowering device and the elevator, and the control of pressure medium to such cylinders may be through a. suitable control valve actuated in the movement of the car receiving plaster board at any given time Such control automatically times the lowerin of a car after receiving its plaster boar unit and the returning of the car to position to enter the plaster board receiving zone.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the eneral character stated which will be re atively simple and inexpensive in construction when its advantages in economy of labor, rapid production, and eneral efficiency are considered, and whic will be dependable, long of life, and which will be generally superior in serviceability.

WVit-h the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, combination, relative arrangement and mode of operation of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, nally pointed out in claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus constructed and organized in accordance with the invention, a belt conveyer being shown as delivering plaster board units to the apparatus' Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus, the belt conveyer shown in Fig. l being omitted;

Fig. 3 is an end elevat`on of the showing in Figs. 1 and 2 and lo kin in the direction of the large arrow near gig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of means for automatically coupling the cars or carriers and permitting the automatic iincoupling of the same at the proper oint 'in the travel of such cars, fragments o cars bein shown;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a showing in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line :ni-em. Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows, showing the construction of a conand l rolling valve whereby the actuation of the lowering device and the elevator is controlled.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawings, in the embodiment of the invention therein shown, A designates a belt conveyor forming the discharge rend of laster board forming apparatus. B, C and each designate a car adapted to sup ort a tray, the trays being shown at Z, c' an al, respectively, E designates a lowering device. F designates an elevating device. G designates means for operating said lowering device E and said elevating device F.' H designates means for propelling the cars through the plaster board receiving zone, and I designates means for propelling the oars from the lowering device to the elevating device; an upper track is shown at h and a lower track is shown at i.

The bolt convcyer A is conventionally illustrated and the discharge end thereof only is shown, a roller 7 being shown as provided witli a belt 8 passed about the same, and suoli belt 8 may lead from the point of plaster board formation, suoli plaster board being usually formed by inserting a moist unstable plastic composition between two surface sheets of paper or the like and forming or gaging the same to pro )er thickness during the manufacture thereo V; the plaster board so formed is out into rough lengths or units shown at u, o', and a, respectively. The movement ci the conveyor belt is 1n the direction indicated by the small arrow, Fig. 1.

The construction and organization of the cars B, C and D is the same, wherefore the description of the ear B will serve as a description for all such cars. The car B comprises a rectangular framework (l, a forward pair of wheels 10, and a pair of rear wheels 11, the forward wheels 10 being mounted on an axle 10a and the rear wheels being mounted on an axle 11". The axle 108 is passed through journal bearings ,12 and 13 provided on the respective side members 14 and 15 of the rectangular frame d, and the axle 11" is mounted in journal bearings 16 and 17 secured to the respective side members 14 and 15. 4The axle 10a is of greater length than the axle 11a so as to space the forward wheels farther avay from the side membersll. and 15 than the wheels 11 are spaced therefrom, this arrangement permitting the use of independent tracks or rails for the forward and 'rearward set of wheels. The track is organized as clearly illuslratcd in Figs. 2 and 3, and comprises a widely separated pair of rails 18 and 19, and a relatively narrow pair of rails 20 and 21, the widely separated rails being adapted for co-action with the wheels 10 of the cars, and

Vthe relatively narrowtrack forme4 i cate, one at each side o by the rails 20 and 21 being adaptedA for co-action with the rearward set of wheels 11 of the cars. The track or trackage z' is similarly' organized and comprises a. pair of widely spaced rails and another pair of rails within the pair of widely spaced rails, to the end that the car may Vproperly traverse the track i.

The lowering device E preferably consists of a framework e and the elevating device 1P preferably consists of a similar framework f, such frames e. and f being pivotally secured t.; supporting arms 22 and 23 as at e and f', respectively, such pivotal connection bein made at the ends of the arms 22 and23 w ich arms areprovided in duplithe lowering and elevating devices, such arms 22 and 23 being pivoted to a central support 24 as at 22 and 23', res ectively. The pair of arms 23 is dispose beneath the air of arms 22, as clearly illustrated in Flg. 1, so 4that the upper portion of the frames e and f will always be maintained in horizontal position regardless of the plane in which the same may at any time be disposed. The tracks are provided on the'frame e and suoli tracks comprise a plurality of rails 18a and 19*l spaced to register with the rails 18 and 19 when the frame is in its uppermost position, and a plurality of rails 20n and 21a spaced to register with the rails 20 and 21 when the frame is in its up ermost position. The rails 18, 19, 20, an 21l all have upturned outer ends as at 18", 19",l 20", and 21", re-` spectively, to arrest the car in its travel over such rails. The frame f is provided with a similar arrangement of rails having upturned ends, such rails being shown at 25, 26, 27 and 28, and such rails are arranged to provide a plurality of tracks or ways for registration with the trackage z when the frame F is in its uppermost position. The rails on the frames e and f likewise register with the trackage z' when vthe respective frames are in their lowermost positions. The operating means G may comprise a plurality of hydraulic cylinders 29 and 30 provided with pistons 29"L and 30 respectively, such pistons being connected through upper cylinder heads 29h respective cylinders 29 and 30, by means of piston rods 31 and 32, respectively, with an arm 22, an intermediate link or connecting rod 33 being rovided for. pivotal connection with one of the arms 22 near the framework e as at 22 and a further link 34 being provided er pivotal connection of the piston rod 32 with the arm 22 near the frame f as at 34. The ends of the links 33 and 34 are connected with the piston rods 31 and 32 as at 31 and 32, respectively. The cylinders 29 and 30 are closed at their lower ends as at 23 and 30, respectively. The cylinders and 30h provided on thev 29 and 30 are connected with a source of pressure medium supply, such as a water Y main or the li e, by means of a supply pipe 35 which leads to a valve g of the power control means. The cylinders are connected with the casing g of the valve g by means of a branched pipe 36, one branch 36 of said pipe leading to the top of the cylinder 29 and another branch 36" of such pipe leading to the bottom of the cylinder 30, t e cylinders being further connected through another branched pipe 37, one branch 37a ot' which leads'to the top of the cylinder 30 and the other branch 37b of which leads to the bottom of the cylinder 29. The valve proper orkey g is rotatably mounted in its casing g and such casing g is provided with a port 36* at the point of communication of the pipe 36 with the interior of the valve casing, and such casing is provided with a port 37 at the point ot communication of the pipe 37 with the valve easing g.- The pipe 35 connects with the bottom ot' the casing g and may communicate with a central bore 38 rovided in the valve or key g and with .a distributing duct 38 tension of the duct formed by the bore 38 and adapted to be brought into registration with either the port 36 or the port 37. A further port 39 is provided for connection with a discharge pipe 39, and the valve or key g is cut away as at 39b to provide a, duct which may be brought into registration with the port 39 and either of they ports 36 or 37 according to the positioning of the valve. The valve or key g is provided with a. i vertically ranging operating stem 40 whereby the valve may be oscillated upon oscillation of the stem and such oscillation of the stem is provided for by a tooth provided thereon at 41 in the path of the unit receiving car which is provided with a lu 42 adapted toco-act with such tooth 4l, an

a tooth 43 provided at an angle to the tooth 40 and disposed in the path 41 on the stem of a further lug 44 provided at the opposite` end of the car, it being understood that each car is so rovided with lugs 42 and 44. The ears in tlhe traverse of the trackage bring the lugs 41 and 44 into contact with either the arm or tooth 41 or 43 and such tooth being located at the proper point in the travel of the car, the connection with the proper ends of the cylinders will be made to cause the elevation ot the frame f and the loweringv of the frame e when a car is on the frame f to return the same from the lower plane to the plane of the zone of loading of such cars or the trays thereon. After a car has been returned to the working zone and has been connected with the car on the trackage h, as will presently be described, and such car has been moved forwardly and olf of the trackage on the frame f the connection to the cylinders will have been reversed by forming a lateral eX- the car moving the valve and the lower portion of the cylinder 29 connected with pressure medium supply through the branch pipe 37b while the upper end of the piston 30 will be connected through the pipe 37 and the upper portion of the cylinder 29 and the lower portion of the cylinder 30 will be connected with the discharge pipe 39 through the duct 39 in the valve. This will lpermit the exhaust of workingr fluidabove the piston 29 and below the piston 3()a while pressure is being applied above the `piston 30 and below the piston 29 to return the frame e and the trackage thereon to the working zone in readiness to receive a loaded car. After a loaded car has been moved thereon the proper lug will have engaged a tooth on the stem 40 and again revgrse the connections to the cylinders whereupon the platform e will be drawn downwardly with the loaded car thereon while the frame f is moved upwardly. The trackage consisting of a plurality of sets of rails diii'erently spaced, permits lowering and raising of the cars after very little travel on the frames e or f e as the axles 1l provided rearwardly of the cai-s may readily pass-between the widely separated rails 18 am y The operating or propelling means H may comprise a `chain 45 inve about a sprocket 46 fixed to a shaft 47 suitably journaled in the framework and driven by means of an electric motor or the like 48 through a belt 49 rove about the motor pulley and a pulley 50 on the shaft 47. `'The chain is likewise rove about an idler sprocket 50 provided between the rails of the trackage h. A tooth 5l provided at the forward end of each car is adapted to take into the chain 45 to ropel the car. A further tooth 51 is provided at the opposite end of the car to take into the operatin or propelling means I to propel rom the trackage on the frame e to the trackage on the frame f which frame f is in its up ermost position while a car is being trans erred from the frame e in its lowermost osition, to the trackage 'i beneiith whic the operatin means I is located. After the car has been moved suiliciently far on to the trackage z' the tooth 43 115 will have been actuated thereby and the connections to the hydraulic cylinders reversed by returning the frame e, which is bifurcated so as to lie at both sides of the car, to its uppermost osition with a consequent return to the rame f to the lowermost position and` in readiness to receive a car to be returned to the upper or working zone thereof. The operating means I comprises a sprocket 52, a motor 53 for operating said sprocket 125 through a pulley and belt device 54, a chain 55, and an idler sprocket 56, the sprockets being spaced one near each end of the trackage i, and the chain rove around the sprockets. Suitable journal bearings for the shafts nahmen and 56 are provided.'

The means for automaticaf-lly'couplmg and nncou )lin `the cars is illustrated on an enlarge sca e in Figs. 4 and ,5f Soph means may comprise a nimber''l bolted `to the rear en of one of the ears as at 58 and a member 59 bolted to the forward end of another car s at 59. lThe member ,57 is `provided wit. l, relatively narrow neck 60 ,s ringing rearwardly therefrom and such nec carries a head 61 which is rcferably spherical. The member- 59 is pre erably .blfurcated or vertically slotted as at 62, tl1e leadi ng edges at the side of the slot being so as to accommodate the neck 6U and retain the hed 6l which enters the slot from the upperl end as a car is raised by theeframe f into a load receiving car, and snehle'adlng edges 63 may be arranged to taper,gis'indi-V catedat 63 so that the slotted member ma?l l be readily pushed over the head Bl, andsuc been" have a nog 'in in' .-lielot'ted' portion "nl when ltherinsare imthe 0i theinernber same plane and the unit receiving car 1s to tow or draw along the car just transferred to its level. vWhen the unit receiving car has received A its vunitof plaster board and the` drawn bythe car bei'ndjtowed Vis itself being chain 4'5 instead of the cou` yling means,"and at the oint in the operation of `theclevice when t e-car which hasrcceived its unit of plaster' hoard fis to be lowered, the hydraulic cylinder' connections will bei actuated' to lower vtlielfforward car andthe same will be automatically uncoupledfby` drawing `the head lthrough the lower portion of the slot in thjine'mher 59 and out on thejlower end of such member, thus freeing Ithe cars.. The plaster bfnrd. and d onV ivhich the plaster board is permitted to harden or may beorig'anized as' are the trays disclosed in said Letters Patent, and snob trays may be placed one upon each of the ears B, C, and D, and preferably on lian`f l sf` that when fsfukeli trays b, c and (l are loaded hrtlieir iapazct they may be replaced by other trays fitte upon the cars.

The operation, method of use and advan-- tages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, ta ken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the followin statement:

'lhe operating means l the operating means l, and the conveyor A being driven each at its proper rate of speed, e car bei g passed under the conveyor discharge el? las Vwith itstray and the ear avingactuated n l means as herembefore explained to lower intnrned as at 63 Awit unit' reeeivin yltrayslr c g s thereon or Qn-tlreftray the-reni @treiteraars f 4 laster boald'unit is 'bein lowered by the o wermgmeans E,"tbe with the valve ofthe tile means E; AS acal' is being lowered, the' receiving'cur is still advancing and upon y'the' ofthe loaded carto thelevel oi a e e", itstooth 51 will be engaged 55 of; the operatin means I lowerilfiA the trae with thee ain and thecar will be rapidlymorev over the trackage onto the'elerating 'means F. As soon as the car has moved far enough `on the trackage .z a lu on the 'side' of thefca'r will haveactuated v ,1 tooth 43 'to 'reverse thehydraulle connections'and thelowerin r means E will lim'nediatelyfrise to ineettthe t ien unit receivin l car and the cari on tlije lowertrackageri w1,V l yloe rapidly propelled by the chain 5,6 through its tooth 51 yonto the traelcage ot' the `frame-work f of theelevating means` F Awhich position will bevreached fas another f oai which hasjpstircceived its plaster board VVnfntiiscompletelysupported on the lower ginggmeansandsnch carhas tl'irough "a flug thereon rpaiu ictuated the controlling" means of t e means G to reverse the hydran lic'l .'eonncctions, whereupon 4the lowering means willdescend and the elevating neans will, rise and `the list 'elevated car will be con. led onto the can then in engagement ELhechai'nand in ixnit receivinf.;l position While the car on the lowering means willy be rapidlyl propelled over the traekage z' and-finite tlirn be elevated, the hydralic con nectiomi 4being revrrsecl 'by snehcar inits traverse 4of the trackage i and, the elevating `means being in `'por'.ititm to receive'the car whilev the loweiin i means is in position to receive the then ioni. can as soonas its fliavin thus.L disclosedfmy invention, I claim an desire ,to secure by yLetteral Pat-- went@ sively delivered therefrom, and means for' successively presentin said output receiving members 1n position or reception of output 'Lln lrnitpujt diselinr'gefmeanm an outputdehyryf.Inember,.la' plurality off etput re. "eeiving anpmbers to 'wllichentput in individ-V na units is successively delivered therefrom,

` connecting the-same therewith; means in sequence and in positive timed relation to the delivered output; said last named means comprising mechanism for so moving theA output receiving members, and mechanism for operatively disconnectin said output receiving mem rs from sa'i first named mechanism and subsequently operatvely ein provided for inter-engaging certain of sai output receiving members for joint movement in timed. relation with the output def livered. n l

8. In output discharge means, an output delivery member, a plurality lof output receiving members to which output is successively delivered therefrom, and means for successively presenting said output receiving members in position for reception of output in sequence and impositivo ltimed relation to the delivered output; said last named means comprisin" output. rece ving' members, and for operativ Adiscerniectinv mechanism Y said output receiving members f from sai ii'lliinmd mechanism ndsiibsequentlyo 'erativelY connectin the same therewit means ingprovi ed for inter-engaging certain of sai cutput receiving members for joint movement in .timed relation with the output delivered; said last named mechanism being controlled by said output receiving members.

4. In output discharge means, an output delivery member, a plurality of output receiving members to which output is successively delivered therefrom, and means or successively presentin said output receiving members in position or reception of output in uenee and in positive timed relation to the delivered output; said last named means comprising mechanism for so moving the output receiving members, and mechanism for Yoperatively discounectin said output Vreceiving members from said t named mechanism and subsequentl operatively connecting the same'therewit saidoutput ieceiving meiiibere,being actuated by said mechanism tor so means, an output atively connecting the same-therewith; said last named mechanism comprising separate elevator devices, and means for oppositely moving the same.

6. In output discharge means, an output delivery member, a plurality of outputrecving members to ,which Youtput is successively-delivered therefrom, and means for successively v resenting saidoutput receivin members in position or reception of output in sequence and in positive timed relation to the delivered output; said last named means comprisin mechanism for so moving the output receiving members, 4and mechanism for operatively disconnectin said output receiving members from sai first named mechanism and subsequently operatively connectin the same therewith; Said last named mec anism comprising separate elevator devices, and means for oppositely moving the same; said elevator devices being mounted upon a common oscillating support.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CH'UMACHER.

JOSEPH E. SCHUMACHER. Witnesses:

Francis L. Isenioo, RAYMOND Ives Bnaxnnnn. 

